London
11th August 1822 –
Sir
Enclosed I Send you the bill of Lading as Also a Packing List of the Contents of the Case marked CF N.61 and Directed to Captn Feilding <1> at Mr Thomson’s Hotel St Mare. Leghorn. and I also put Livoni on it; I Expect the Vessel will Sail this day. I will pay the Strictest attention to your Orders Respecting those papers of yrs in the Library table Drawer, and I will give you the particulars in my Next where you will find them – I saw Mr Feilding again last Wednesday and he says the Telescope will be Partly Ready in a fortnight. I will be after him Again before that time. I have Recd a tremendous Packet from the Royal Institution <2> for You In the form of a Letter. I Intend Sending it with the Telescope on Account of the Expence of postage, which I hope you will approve of; this will Cost a Trifle as it is – be So Kind Sir as to say to Mr Feilding, that I feel I must be Compelled to draw my hard Wages from Mr Stilwell <3> as usual it being Seriously Uncertain when I Shall Receive any money from the Excise, but when I do Receive it, I will Return it into the hands of Mr Stilwell to place to the Cr Account of Mr Feilding, & I hope this will not Cause any Confusion in his Accounts – I have Recd her Ladyships letter dated the 4 Augt. at Spa, and I will Send the Letters in future by the Gvt Bag – I have wrote to Mrs Cresswell at Barming to Inform her that a Parcel is waiting here for her from Ly Eth <4> – until She hath Some opportunity of Sending for it or otherways Send me directions to forward it to her by the Coach: I very much like my Employment in the Excise. I am Employed In the Excise Office at the West Indie [sic] Docks from 8 in the Morning till 4 In the afternoon at the Docks. but it is Very uncertain how long it may Continue, I believe it is not as yet Publicly Known who is to Succeed Lord Londonderry of Kerry <5> You will be are Acquainted before You receive this in the way in which he Died
Yr most obt and Very hble Servant
Rd Burden
W H Fox Talbot Esq.
(at Mr Feildings)
Poste Restante
Florence
Italie
Notes:
1. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
2. Royal Institution, London. WHFT had just become a member. [See Doc. No: 01001].
3. Of Stilwell & Company.
4. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
5. Robert Stewart, Lord Castlereagh, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry (1769–1822), politician. He became depressed, possibly over health issues and his unpopularity, and after a meeting with King George IV felt that he might be blackmailed for homosexuality. On 12 August 1822, he slit his throat with a letter opener. He was succeeded by his half-brother Charles William Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry (1778–1854), soldier and diplomatist.